Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-03-04

now over l2,OOO,000 people whose NOR,
than 2G5 600 square miles Of lands furmisl
much food for the world, and from who's,
homes went more than 900 900 patriots Il
give their lives to save Ia NIL future TIM,
those precious principles nf human well
fare which that Orlinqnce declared shoult
"toiever remain unnlterable." The con-
stilution Of Illinois, one OF these illustri
ous sisters admonishes us, in her conslitu
tion that" frequent recurrence TO tn,
fundamental principles of civil govern
ment is absolutely necessary TO preserv,
the blessings Of liberty" Let us heed tl
admonition with more than common de.
votion in this centennial year Of til,
enactment of tins Ordinance and of th,
framing OF our national Constitution.
THE FIRST PROVISION.
The first historic provision of the Ordi
nance is the abolition OF the ancient, un
just law Of prinogeniture. The Ordi-
nance declares that estates shall de-cent
to all aud he distributed equally amonl
all the children, male and female, of the
iniestate deceased; or, in the absence o.
children, to the next of kin in equal de
gree. This was a blow aimed at the mo-
nopoly oi property by tie accident o,
dignity" OF birth. 1t was recognition
too, OF the daughters that carried woman
so much the nearer 10 the summit OF eqria
rights will, man.
THE BASIS OF REAL REPUBLICS.
Section IL is a solemn declaration that
"civil and religious liberty" are "lle basi,
wNereon these repubics are
erected" To fix and establish them 'for-
ever hereafter" as the basis of the states
TO be founded in the territory the four
tepnili section declares that six special
"nrlcles" Of the Ordinance shall lie n
compact" between the old states and the
people in the states to be established and
that the compact shall forever remain
unallerable" unless by common consent.
The first article in this compact guar
aniees liberty Of conscience and the right
OF private iudgment-rigit or wrongly
protecting every man so long as he j.
"peaceable and orderly" in his "worship'
and religious sentiments"
Thus the old fathers said that the peo-
pie and not the Tpspnl priests-nut an
Italian in Rome-may decide for them
selves what things belong 10 Csar and
what things belong TO God Still more
the old fathers recognized the merits ol
the many religions and did not by statute
exnlt one religion above another.
PRIVATE RIGHTS AND EDUCATION.
Article second by The compact provides
for Trial by jury; that pnnishments shall
not he "crnel;" that full compensation
shall be made for private property taken
for the public Use, and concludes with the
first constitutional recognition that "pri.
vate contracts" made in "good faith"
shall not be "interferred" with by laws
made subsequent 10 the contracts.
Then follows article three, which begins
with these often quoted words "Relig-
ION, morality and knowledge being neces-
sary TO good government and the lappi.
ness Of mankind, schools and the means
OF education shall forever he encouraged. u
This educational provision is full of
import IN these times when papal priests
are declaring that "lhe state has no right
10 teach Mt all" and that the pope and not
the people should control the discipline of
the schools and select the studies. The
patriots in this grand old Congress sad
by this provision Tia; The exercise by the
people of absolute control over their own
education was necessary 10 the employ.
ment oil the right to govern themselves.
For as we have seen this WAS "a compncl'
between "the people" and not between
the pnpal priests.
THE INDIANS, THE UNION AND THE
HIGHWAYS.
When lhe conscientious reader observes
that in this ihiid article our ancestors
pledged "the utmost good faith" towards
the Indians and that "their property
rights and liberty" "never shall be IN
vaded" lie will blush at the manner of ful
| fillment.
In article tour the separation of the
states to he formed from this territory
from the United States was forever pro-
hlbiied. And this was ms binding on
those original southern states as on Ohio
and her sisters. The inhabitants are re-
qnired TO share in paying the expense and
debts OF the national government. Non.
resident property holders are not to be
taxed higher than rcsidenls. All naylga-
ble waters and carrying places between
them shall be "common highways and
Tree forever"
REPUBLICAN, GOVERNMENT.
Article five bounds the states that the
trrltory Ia TO he divided into and then de-
clares that their governments shall be
"Repnblican" or as the martyr Lincoln
said {: "A government Of The people, for
he people and by the peope"-not gov
ernmenl by the pope aud his prelates
For the first century the government has
indeed heen oy The people. They have
made their own land laws, marriage laws,
educational, moral and religious laws. But
with l2 pApal archbisIops, Gl papal bish-
ops aud more Than 1000 pnpal priests in
pur Union teaching That people ought to
he damned and despised for exercising
sovereignty In those matters, can il be
'ald AT the close of the second century
hat the compact" remains unallered and
hat the government is "Republican ?''
There would he no doubts cloudlng our
radiant hopes If the Catholic laity were
hey their own rulers, for they desire to
preserve all our liberties. But the priests